A few years ago, I attended an Amelia workshop at Purdue University in Michigan City, Indiana. The main speakerwas a woman who worked with the Amelia Earhart Collection. I talked to her during the luncheon, and it turns outshe is the woman in charge of the collection, and also the person who made the decision to deny Tighar from takinga pinhole sized sample of that compact.I asked her why it was denied, and she said "it would damage the artifact" I said But a pinhole? She said its wrapped in plastic, and a hole could contaminate the artifact. I asked "Wouldn't it be worth it if it turns out toprove where AE died?" She said she isn't interested in that, and that was all she had to say about it. Since shewas beginning to be very defensive about it, I walked away. I just can't believe how closed minded some of these supposed "experts" can be.

Unfortunately, the closedmindedness does make a fair amount of sense in view of all the bizarre theories about AE's disappearance that have been put forward over the years. If she gave one investigator a compact sample, she'd have to give them out to all the other crazies. TIGHAR's theory, which requires having AE & FN navigate to another small island rather far away from Howland when they're lost and low on gas, looks superficially like just another crazy over-the-top theory . . . until you've looked at it in detail and followed the progress of investigations for awhile. That's one reason it's good that TIGHAR has been getting more media coverage. As the general public becomes better acquainted with how the evidence has accumulated over time, the theory won't seem so strange.

I do understand museum curators not allowing anyone to touch or take samples of historic artifacts, but I'm sureRic or Pat made it very clear how significant our request was. When I talk to friends and family about our research,No-one has ever thought of Tighar as having a bizarre theory. When they hear about all of the 1930's Americanfemale artifacts we've collected from Niku, that's all it takes for them to be convinced that "Hey, there might besomething to this theory". It seems to me that there are only two believable theories left of the many, many thathave floated around over the years, being the crashed and sank, and Niku. And that Discovery Special went a longway in convincing folks of its plausibility. Ric and Discovery did an excellent job, and I agree that more media wouldcertainly help our cause. Besides, the other investigators don't need to know about it (wink). Us Tighar's are a greatbunch of people, and its high time everyone knew it:)

Would taking a sample from the compact in question really give that much useful information. It obviously isn't the same one that Amelia took on her flight. We already know the one found on Niku was probably from the 1930's. What would taking a sample really tell us?

Please see post August 26,2010. Wrote to a Prof Morris, who it turns out to be a Female, and Her staff answered, informing me that She had left, going to Florida State University. You might contact them again: Results ????? MikeP

Would taking a sample from the compact in question really give that much useful information. It obviously isn't the same one that Amelia took on her flight. We already know the one found on Niku was probably from the 1930's. What would taking a sample really tell us?